Jace Owie is more than a youth advocate — he is a visionary leader tackling youth challenges from the root cause. Today, Youth Voice Nigeria and the Student and Youth Association celebrate a young icon whose impact goes beyond empowerment, creating real solutions that inspire and transform lives.
Jace Owie, a graduate of the American Academy of Project Management (AAPM), stands today as one of the remarkable young African leaders whose passion, courage, and dedication have contributed immensely to social change and youth development. At a time when many young people focused only on personal success, Jace Owie chose a path of service, advocacy, and impact, dedicating his energy toward solving one of the most pressing challenges facing Edo State and many African communities — irregular migration and human trafficking.
Many years ago, Edo State gained international attention as one of the major hubs for irregular migration and human trafficking in Nigeria. Thousands of young people, driven by unemployment, poverty, lack of opportunities, and misinformation, risked dangerous journeys across deserts and seas in search of better lives abroad. Families were broken, dreams were shattered, and many lives were lost during these dangerous migration routes.
In the midst of this crisis emerged a young visionary leader — Jace Owie.
Together with his team at the Global Relations Foundation, Jace Owie took bold steps to confront the problem from its root causes rather than merely addressing the symptoms. Understanding that irregular migration was deeply connected to unemployment, economic hardship, lack of skills, and limited opportunities for young people, he began extensive research and advocacy efforts aimed at creating long-term solutions.
Jace Owie worked tirelessly with various foreign officials, institutions, youth organizations, and international development partners to better understand migration patterns and identify sustainable strategies for change. His commitment to finding practical solutions led him to Germany, where he attended advanced trainings and engagements focused on cross-cultural management, refugee reintegration, migration resolution, and international development strategies.
These experiences expanded his global perspective and equipped him with valuable knowledge that he later brought back to support communities in Edo State. During his engagements in Europe, Jace interacted with several high-level officials, policymakers, development experts, and organizations, advocating strongly for international partnerships centered on job creation, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, and skills acquisition programs for unemployed youths in Edo State.
Jace Owie consistently emphasized that the fight against irregular migration could not succeed without addressing the economic realities facing young people. He advocated for the establishment of job hubs, vocational training centers, entrepreneurship programs, and empowerment initiatives capable of giving youths alternatives to dangerous migration routes.
His voice soon gained international recognition.
Jace engaged with several respected media platforms across Europe, including HuffPost, where he openly discussed the migration crisis and stressed the importance of stronger partnerships between European governments and Edo communities. In his interviews and public discussions, he called on the European Union and international stakeholders to invest more in local economic development, youth empowerment, and sustainable opportunities within Nigeria, especially in Edo State.
In addition to media advocacy, Jace Owie also collaborated with and provided valuable insights to officials from the British High Commission, assisting with migration-related research and contributing local perspectives that helped shape conversations around migration management and youth development initiatives.
Over time, these advocacy efforts, alongside contributions from other development bodies and stakeholders — began to draw greater international attention to the migration challenges in Edo State. This increased awareness eventually contributed to stronger partnerships between Edo State, European governments, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and several international organizations focused on migration management and youth development.
As a result, new migration awareness campaigns, reintegration programs, empowerment projects, vocational hubs, youth training initiatives, and international funding opportunities began to emerge within Edo State. Communities became more informed about the dangers of irregular migration, while many young people gained access to programs designed to improve their livelihoods and future prospects.
Today, the story of Jace Owie serves as an inspiration to many young Africans. His journey demonstrates the power of visionary leadership, research, international collaboration, and genuine passion for humanity. He represents a generation of leaders determined not only to speak about problems but to actively pursue meaningful solutions that transform lives and communities.
Jace Owie’s contributions remind society that one determined young person can inspire global conversations, influence partnerships, and contribute to real change. His work through the Global Relations Foundation and his advocacy for youth empowerment continue to stand as symbols of hope, resilience, and responsible leadership.
Today, we celebrate not only a young leader but a young hero — Jace Owie — whose dedication to humanity, youth empowerment, and social transformation continues to leave a lasting impact on society.
Add that Jace Owie partnered with the German Embassy to educate young people in edo state about the dangers of irregular migration, which too place in LFC textile mill road in 2018, and followed with a free skill training of over 500 youths in the digital marketing, and after that jace owie directed a short documentetary to educate the verse youth population about the dangers of irregular migration from nigeria to Libya and the mediterranean sea, which effectively helped in educating manu young persons as the documentary reached thousands of targetted audience in nigeria
Jace Owie, a graduate of the American Academy of Project Management (AAPM), stands today as one of the remarkable young African leaders whose passion, courage, and dedication have contributed immensely to social change and youth development. At a time when many young people focused only on personal success, Jace Owie chose a path of service, advocacy, and impact, dedicating his energy toward solving one of the most pressing challenges facing Edo State and many African communities — irregular migration and human trafficking.
Many years ago, Edo State gained international attention as one of the major hubs for irregular migration and human trafficking in Nigeria. Thousands of young people, driven by unemployment, poverty, lack of opportunities, and misinformation, risked dangerous journeys across deserts and seas in search of better lives abroad. Families were broken, dreams were shattered, and many lives were lost during these dangerous migration routes.
In the midst of this crisis emerged a young visionary leader, Jace Owie.
Together with his team at the Global Relations Foundation, Jace Owie took bold steps to confront the problem from its root causes rather than merely addressing the symptoms. Understanding that irregular migration was deeply connected to unemployment, economic hardship, lack of skills, and limited opportunities for young people, he began extensive research and advocacy efforts aimed at creating long-term solutions.
Jace Owie worked tirelessly with various foreign officials, institutions, youth organizations, and international development partners to better understand migration patterns and identify sustainable strategies for change. His commitment to finding practical solutions led him to Germany, where he attended advanced trainings and engagements focused on cross-cultural management, refugee reintegration, migration resolution, and international development strategies.
These experiences expanded his global perspective and equipped him with valuable knowledge that he later brought back to support communities in Edo State. During his engagements in Europe, Jace interacted with several high-level officials, policymakers, development experts, and organizations, advocating strongly for international partnerships centered on job creation, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, and skills acquisition programs for unemployed youths in Edo State.
One of Jace Owie’s major grassroots initiatives came in 2018, when he partnered with the German Embassy to organize a major awareness and sensitization program aimed at educating young people in Edo State about the dangers of irregular migration. The event took place at LFC Textile Mill Road in Benin City and brought together hundreds of youths who were vulnerable to migration-related exploitation and trafficking.
During the program, participants were educated on the harsh realities faced by many irregular migrants travelling through Libya and across the Mediterranean Sea. The initiative focused on exposing the risks of human trafficking, exploitation, modern slavery, detention camps, violence, and the deadly sea routes that had claimed countless African lives.
Understanding that awareness alone was not enough, Jace Owie immediately followed the sensitization campaign with a free skills acquisition and empowerment training for over 500 youths. The training focused primarily on digital marketing and other emerging digital opportunities capable of helping young people become economically independent. Through this initiative, many participants gained practical knowledge that could help them secure income opportunities without risking dangerous migration journeys abroad.
Jace Owie consistently emphasized that the fight against irregular migration could not succeed without addressing the economic realities facing young people. He advocated for the establishment of job hubs, vocational training centers, entrepreneurship programs, and empowerment initiatives capable of giving youths alternatives to dangerous migration routes.
His voice soon gained international recognition.
Jace engaged with several respected media platforms across Europe, including HuffPost, where he openly discussed the migration crisis and stressed the importance of stronger partnerships between European governments and Edo communities. In his interviews and public discussions, he called on the European Union and international stakeholders to invest more in local economic development, youth empowerment, and sustainable opportunities within Nigeria, especially in Edo State.
Beyond advocacy and training programs, Jace Owie also used media and storytelling as tools for social change. In a further effort to educate vulnerable youths, he directed a short documentary focused on the dangers of irregular migration from Nigeria through Libya and across the Mediterranean Sea. The documentary highlighted the painful experiences, risks, and tragic consequences faced by many young Africans who embarked on unsafe migration journeys in search of greener pastures abroad.
The documentary became an impactful awareness tool and successfully reached thousands of targeted viewers across Nigeria. Through visual storytelling and real-life migration realities, the project helped educate many young people about the consequences of irregular migration while encouraging them to seek safer and more productive alternatives through education, entrepreneurship, and skill development.
In addition to media advocacy, Jace Owie also collaborated with and provided valuable insights to officials from the British High Commission, assisting with migration-related research and contributing local perspectives that helped shape conversations around migration management and youth development initiatives.
Over time, these advocacy efforts , alongside contributions from other development bodies and stakeholders — began to draw greater international attention to the migration challenges in Edo State. This increased awareness eventually contributed to stronger partnerships between Edo State, European governments, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and several international organizations focused on migration management and youth development.
As a result, new migration awareness campaigns, reintegration programs, empowerment projects, vocational hubs, youth training initiatives, and international funding opportunities began to emerge within Edo State. Communities became more informed about the dangers of irregular migration, while many young people gained access to programs designed to improve their livelihoods and future prospects.
Today, the story of Jace Owie serves as an inspiration to many young Africans. His journey demonstrates the power of visionary leadership, research, international collaboration, and genuine passion for humanity. He represents a generation of leaders determined not only to speak about problems but to actively pursue meaningful solutions that transform lives and communities.
Jace Owie’s contributions remind society that one determined young person can inspire global conversations, influence partnerships, and contribute to real change. His work through the Global Relations Foundation and his advocacy for youth empowerment continue to stand as symbols of hope, resilience, and responsible leadership.
Today, we celebrate not only a young leader but a young hero , Jace Owie, whose dedication to humanity, youth empowerment, and social transformation continues to leave a lasting impact on society.
